Notifications of sexual violence against children and adolescents in Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil: a descriptive study, 2014-2018

OBJECTIVE: to describe characteristics of notifications of sexual violence against children and adolescents according to race/skin color and their distribution in the state of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, between 2014 and 2018. METHODS: this was a descriptive study of data retrieved from the Notifiable Health Conditions Information System (SINAN). Frequency distributions, prevalence and statistical differences were analyzed using Pearson’s chi-square test. RESULTS: of the 8,716 notifications, most occurred in the state capital (48.2%) and related to female victims (82.2%) aged between 10 and 14 years (38.1%). There was a higher prevalence (370/100,000) and relative frequency of rape (84.5%), sexual exploitation (5.8%) and neglect/abandonment (4.6%) among victims of Black race/skin color (p-value < 0.05). Only 4.6% of notifications occurred in primary health care services. CONCLUSION: notifications were more frequent among female pre-adolescents and prevalence was higher among Black people, who should be a priority target for protective measures. Surveillance of this form of violence needs to be strengthened in primary care.